The Tennessee General Assembly approved the Bill Lee government’s $100 million project, which was depicted in May 2024, to support the central Tennessee regional water utility partnership and seeks projects to save the Duck River.

The Tennessee General Assembly’s 2026 budget cut $35 million from funding buckets aimed at supporting continued efforts to maintain North America’s most ecologically diverse freshwater rivers.

According to Gov. Bill Lee, the “scenic treasure” Duck River provides water to an estimated 250,000 Middle Tennessee residents. That water level reached its lowest in 2025, signaling an increase in dead mussels River health is dangeroussays the scientist.

Lee’s budget proposal was originally Allocated $100 million “To create a local water supply strategy that will completely solve this problem,” he said in 2025. State address status.

A $59.8 billion budget Approved by the Tennessee General Assembly on Wednesday, allocating $65 million to a project involving the river. Sumner County Republican House Majority Leader William Lambers said at a press conference Thursday that he saw “overall, more than 98% of the budget was proposed by the governor.”

TDEC: $100 million Duck River Budget Questions Can Use for Regional Tennessee River Pipelines

Rep. Jody Barrett, a Republican of Dixon, represents Hickman County, divided by the Duck River. While his constituents’ concerns about the river are largely environmentally for now, residents of neighboring Morley County are turning to ducks as “a bounty of relief” for water shortages, he said.

“Indeed, $35 million would have some practical impacts. I’m not sure exactly how that money will be used, so I don’t know that it will have a pretty immediate impact,” Barrett said. “But obviously, depending on where it’s along the river, it’s an emergency.”

Barrett said he understands part of the reason behind the funding redirection is the lack of specificity in how the funds are used.

Lee’s November Presidential Order To save the Duck River, the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation (TDEC) “evaluate large-scale engineering projects” for costs and feasibility.

TDEC Commissioner David Salyers called the $100 million proposed in March “incentive money,” encouraging partnerships between local utilities.

Salyas will be chaired 19 Member Advisory Group The book was created by Lee to make recommendations to the governor and state legislators. He told lawmakers last month that he could put money into “really solving the problem” of drinking water access towards potential pipelines in the Cumberland or the Tennessee River.

However, Salyers also acknowledged that a complete solution is likely to require hundreds of millions of dollars in years.

“We are disappointed by the cuts in funding for the Duck River Project, but we recognize that conservation requires not only a moment of opportunity, but a sustainable commitment.” “We are honored to be part of the Duck River Planning Partnership and look forward to working with local partners to identify sustainable collaborative solutions to protect one of Tennessee’s most important natural resources.”